Look at it this way. To pick up a cup you have to coordinate probably 50 muscles for 3 seconds. You can't do that just by actually controlling each muscle consciously. You don't have to think about it because that set of actions is already in 'muscle memory'. All you have to do is provide an site-specific-guide - that is where the cup handle is and what you want to do with it.

A baby learns to walk by a combination of hard wiring, instinct and - yes, conditioning its muscles. The walking is a final product of muscle memory for how to establish balance on its two feet and maintain that with forward momentum. What you describe with learning ping-pong is establishment of classical muscle memory. It seems to me that your discussion point is not muscle memory at all (which is a way to establish higher-order behaviour) from how the muscle memory is created.

For me that is the interesting part. If you use a crude method to establish muscle memory - you will get a crude action and a complex way you will get a far more rounded (and flexible) reaction. Playing a violin is a great example. I can learn a piece by playing through it rapidly to get the gist of the notes but without playing much attention to intonation (finger placement). The result is a fast played piece that is not quite in tune. Or I can learn it slowly playing close attention to intonation and gradually speed up. The result is a far superior rendition. The former gets me to the point of playing but the latter not only lets me play the tune but also improves my whole playing ability so that when I try to learn something else it is much more likely to also be in tune from the start.

Thus, I think you have the wrong enemy. As said above, muscle memory is more like the cooker to the recipe. You can use it crudely to make food or you can use it very subtly for gormet cooking. Its still muscle memory.

I learn best by kinesthetics - lead me into it and my body will learn. That is just as much establishing muscle memory as doing something by rote -

"muscle memory" is really just the brain's natural aptitude for recognizing patterns, correct? it's not muscular so much as neural, yes?

so... honor that for what it is, i'd say... and bring the presence of one's conscious mind into the mix so one isn't always reliving the past, but expanding into new patterns.

same thing in life...if we don't bring the presence of our awareness into the Now, we're just living the conditioning of the past. but that doesn't mean the accumulation of learning, understanding, and experience gathered up til that point is invalid or non-existent. just a tool... for More.

Muscle memory to my understanding is learning by usage. But since its not really a physiological term at all you really can define it as you like. Problem then, of course, is trying to discuss it (as SG originally pointed out).

i can't help but think of it in terms of neural receptors experiencing the movement of conscious awareness (sensation) through the body. with patterns of muscular activity being a by-product of that sensation-movement.